- The ongoing 50-over cricket World Cup in India did start in a rather dull manner with empty stands welcoming the teams when the marquee quadrennial event is happening in the cricket-crazy nation known for its huge popularity as well as patronage. Mind you, Indian cricket stadiums are always filled to the brim with fans always accusing the Board of Control for Cricket in India of shortchanging them in the absence of more tickets for the viewing public. However, with the advent of the more lucrative and easy-on-the-eyes slam-bang T20 Indian Premier League taking center stage big-time, the classical version of five-day Tests, and the 50-over versions were under tremendous pressure to not only sustain their acceptance but also thrive to remain relevant.
PC: TOI
- Thankfully, the way Team India has progressed in the present edition showcasing their skills in every department of the game, the interest in the 50-over format appears to have been reignited. The full houses whenever Team India takes on the opposition at different venues should not only warm the cockles of the BCCI mandarins but also assure the cricket connoisseurs that the format has not lost its edge vis-à-vis the onslaught of the T20 tournaments. Due credit should go the way Team India has excelled in all departments of the game by winning six of the matches played so far and with some admirable convincing triumphs. Teams like New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa too have displayed some credible firepower to keep the audiences hooked.
- The way Captain Rohit Sharma has lit the World Cup with dazzling stroke play right at the beginning of the innings is an absolute delight. His impeccable timing, immaculate stroke play, brutal but pleasing power, and most importantly, acute awareness of the game situation have been outstanding. Moreover, the way he has led the team from the front by marshaling his resources with astuteness showcases a sharp understanding of the game’s nuances, a thinking brain behind every move, unambiguous strategies getting implemented at crucial junctions of every match played so far, and calculative but effective field placements have been a revelation of sorts. No wonder, Team India is surging forward ominously steamrolling every opposition along the way.
PC: Times Now
- Batsmen, apart from Rohit Sharma himself, like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer have played crucial knocks during different matches. Mind you, it’s the bowlers who win the matches, and what an amazing exhibition of pace bowling we are witnessing in the form of irrepressible Jasprit Bumrah, the vastly improved Mohammad Siraj, ever reinventing guile of Mohammed Shami. The Pacers are on fire literally. Not to forget the spinners who are complementing the pacers. The born-again Kuldeep Yadav and dependent Ravindra Jadeja are wonderful indeed. As the popular saying goes in cricketing parlance, everything appears perfect when the team is on a winning spree must be at the back of Rohit Sharma and the support staff. Hopefully, Team India will go the distance. Yes, 50-over cricket will survive, sustain, and thrive in the coming years. Undoubtedly.
